Birth Control

Q: I’ve been on the pill for 10 years. My doctor put me on it in high school before I was even sexually active, to help me manage super painful cramps. And it totally worked for that! Recently though, I’ve been thinking that I actually don’t know much about how hormonal birth control is impacting my natural cycle — or even if I really have one anymore. I’ve heard that it makes people’s periods lighter, and I’ve noticed that I have fewer PMS symptoms than many of my lady friends overall. So my question is: How is my cycle different because I’m on the pill? Am I still getting a “real” period?

Q: I went on the pill a few months ago because I’m not ready to have a baby yet, but I love having sex. But ever since I went on birth control, I’ve felt way less into sex, and it’s putting strain on my relationship with my boyfriend. My ob/gyn never warned me that this could happen. What’s going on? What should I do to get my libido back?

Q: I always use condoms when I have sex. I’m not on the pill, but the thing is, sometimes I miss unprotected sex (I was on the pill before). Sometimes I’ll let a guy just duck in for a minute or two if he doesn’t think he has pre-cum. How dangerous is that? If I go down on a guy without a condom is that a risk of anything? Just wondering how strict I have to be.